Mini City: Mayhem
Mini City: Mayhem
Game
Game2024
NEODUEL: Backpack Monsters
Developer dicehit, Rogue Duck Interactive
NEODUEL: Backpack Monsters is an inventory auto-battler with a monster-trainer twist! Collect Cosmions and items, and strategically manage your backpack to create unbeatable combos in tactical duels. Rise through the leagues to become the ultimate Cosmion master! From the Steam store page
142 reactions from 3 sources (Steam reviews, Bluesky, Mastodon) · newest Jul 30, 2026 · last updated Oct 8, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
76
LovedLoved
87 positive · 27 negative
95% range 68–83%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 87 | 27 | 0 |
| Bluesky * | 1 | 0 | 23 |
| Mastodon * | 0 | 0 | 4 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
Steam's own rating
Mostly Positive
98 of 125 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What players are saying
77% recommend · 91 yes, 27 no
Counted from the reviewers’ own thumbs up/down on the 118 English Steam reviews we collected, not by the AI. Valve’s all-language rating: Very Positive (357 of 437 positive).
Players find the game addictive and fun, praising its strategic depth and charming art. [1][2][3] Some reviewers note the game is a clone of Backpack Battles but with its own unique twists. [4][5][6]
Liked
Representative posts
- [5]
A Backpack Battles clone with an emphasis on "item" (creatures in this case) fusion sounds awesome, but the game is not well-made, not beautiful, and creature names are so stupid they genuinely ruined my fun. Nice (clone) concept though.
- [2]
this is another one of those super satisfying addicting games that u lose track of time in. very similar to Backpack Battles, yet with it's own spin using essence and Cosmions to combine stronger and better fighters/debuffs/buffs. the art is really charming, the dev is super active and is fixing bugs super speedy. the road map looks very promising, for the price tag and hours i've spent and plan on spending..totally …
- [15]
MAY 2025 EDIT:// The devs have purchased the rights to the game and escaped their former publisher, and in doing so, they have turned the servers back on. Get this game! It's made by good people and it's a good title worthy of your time and investment. Previous Review: I am writing this review with a heavy heart. I have put a lot of hours into this game because it polished the experience of an autobattler to a …
- [16]
Despite the negative reviews for this game, I went with my gut and decided to buy it. It takes a little time to get the hang of it, as the in-game tutorial isn't super helpful, but the devs have posted youtube videos explaining the game further. The negative reviews are from before the devs returned to the game and brought back online co-op. While it is not THE BEST game I have ever played, I still think it is …
- [1]
I spent far too long arranging boards and rotating Cosmions only to lose in seconds; 10/10, do recommend! 📝 Main Pros, Cons, and Suggestions: 🟩 Pros: + Some fusions are a meme (the Protecc Shiba makes me happy) + Focuses on SP with asynchronous MP rather than traditional PvP + The art direction and sound design are simple yet highly enjoyable + Creative and intuitive design with plenty of combos and elemental …
Summarised from 34 of the 146 public posts collected about this game; every point cites the posts behind it ([n] opens the post) and the split is counted from the posts’ own ratings. Updated Oct 13, 2026. How summaries are made
RottenBot@rottenbot · automated account
NEODUEL: Backpack Monsters sits at 76% positive across 114 opinionated reactions from 3 sources. Fresh or rotten — where do you land?
Reactions
60 of 142 · most liked firstOnline PVP removed way too soon. Sad for those of us who already own the game, but I'm writing this review just to warn off prospective players.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I spent far too long arranging boards and rotating Cosmions only to lose in seconds; 10/10, do recommend! 📝 Main Pros, Cons, and Suggestions: 🟩 Pros: + Some fusions are a meme (the Protecc Shiba makes me happy) + Focuses on SP with asynchronous MP rather than traditional PvP + The art direction and sound design are simple yet highly enjoyable + Creative and intuitive design with plenty of combos and elemental synergies 🟥 Cons: - The tutorial is simple and unengaging - Upon loading…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A Backpack Battles clone with an emphasis on "item" (creatures in this case) fusion sounds awesome, but the game is not well-made, not beautiful, and creature names are so stupid they genuinely ruined my fun. Nice (clone) concept though.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I am not sure if I would go as far as saying this is a backpack battle clone. However if someone make that claim I do think it has some merit. That aside some things the game does not have(I think, could just be poor UI choices to explain this) is a good way to figure out what combines. Another thing i found odd, is it does not seem like the storage is symmetrical. It could just be its trying to fill in the shoes of a very unique and good game. If feels like its one year behind backpack battles…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It had the potential to be a great game, but I assume the lacking updates, significant UI/Tutorial bugs, and price point compared to competition made the population too small. This caused them to shut down whatever servers they did have, which means there is no longer leaderboards or player versus player combat. I feel like one of the main draws is to see other peoples' builds and exceed them, but now it's a finite pool and a crystallized meta without any hope of a balance shift. If the bugs…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I dont like to be one of those people saying "this is just a bad Backpack Battles clone" ... but sadly there is alot of truth in it! Keeping in mind - this is a FULL release and has been tested hundrets of hours by community members - it is mindboggling in which state it got released. Here are my issues with this game (release day): - Horrible audiomixing (in battles the music and effects were much louder) - Scrolling through the Codex Monster page during a match made fps drop below 30s - The…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →this is another one of those super satisfying addicting games that u lose track of time in. very similar to Backpack Battles, yet with it's own spin using essence and Cosmions to combine stronger and better fighters/debuffs/buffs. the art is really charming, the dev is super active and is fixing bugs super speedy. the road map looks very promising, for the price tag and hours i've spent and plan on spending..totally 💯worth!!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I've just started, but I feel like I'm really getting the hang of it. I'm having so much fun with different builds and I hope it continues this way. The art is looking good, the music is excellent.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Neoduel is the second "Backpack Autobattler" game in existence that I know of, the other being Backpack Battles which this game obviously took the formula from. Is that a bad thing you ask? Absolutely not. New entries in a genre of games are always welcome, otherwise we'd only have Diablo and no Path of Exile, or just Command & Conquer and no Age of Empires, Warcraft or Starcraft. Pros: -Neoduel has a great amount of items and synergies. -Due to the above replayability seems high, more so as…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →EDIT EDIT: In response to the dev response, and in response to the online function coming back after almost a year (after being removed almost immediately after launch) The game is still buggy as all hell. Legitimately one of, if not THE, most buggy and unfinished games I have ever played on Steam (And I play A LOT) The menus are still constantly broken, any menu that would be useful to pull up will overlap weird with anything under it (Been an issue since pre-release), the cosmion list is…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I love the concept and I have a lotta hours in Backpack Battles, and I'm a Pokemon fan, so I assumed this game would be a no-brainer. Sad to say though, I'm returning this, even though I wanted to love it The problem I have is that the game feels completely unpolished. I don't mean "Oh there's bugs" but more of "Why would you make that obtuse design choice? Why is the character's head being clipped off by the items? Where's my currency again? God, this is the worst-feeling lever I've ever…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →dead game, do not purchase
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It's milestone update day for our game Neoduel: Backpack Monsters, adding a plethora of new content, and to celebrate the launch, we're discounting it to 30% for Steam Autumn Sale. I'm also giving away 3 copies to those that repost, like and comment why they would like this game on this post.
neutral · AI labelView post →Why pretend this isn't Early Access? Go translate all the Turkish reviews for a more accurate picture.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →the skin with the blue shirt is so f**** handsome, i can not focus on the game
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Low variety of effective builds. Burn/Poison, Blind, and raw damage. Everything else will usually lose to those three, but they lose due to the lack of useful pokemon/items. Stun would be a strong build, but only 1 unit does significant damage when you stun, and it is a rare unit. The other tools to ramp up Stuns also don't exist. Ice could be good, but it takes too long to make ice stones and you'll gain maybe 1-2 stones per item refresh. Thorns is mostly a joke. Thorns can work, but…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Pretty fun little game. Glad to hear the dev got the rights back and the servers are back up. It mixes pokemon, autobattlers, and backpack organizing in a pretty fun way. Not amazing, but def worth investigating if you're intrigued by any of those genres. 7/10 There are some minor downsides: - the ui is a bit clunky and it's very hard to tell what evolves into what without scrolling through a very long list. - the organizational puzzle is usually pretty limited and could be amped up a bit…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →MAY 2025 EDIT:// The devs have purchased the rights to the game and escaped their former publisher, and in doing so, they have turned the servers back on. Get this game! It's made by good people and it's a good title worthy of your time and investment. Previous Review: I am writing this review with a heavy heart. I have put a lot of hours into this game because it polished the experience of an autobattler to a mirror-sheen. Start small, build your team, adapt to the options you're given,…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →While this game has had it's ups and downs i fully believe it is better than it has ever been right now. The Leaderboard is back, The Devs interact and keep up with the community, and most importantly its fun as heck! It's easy to get into but a bit hard to master and while yes some elements may be better than others *Cough* Fire... the only limits to whatever strategy you wanna attempt is a tiny bit of luck and your own creativity.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It seems the developer brought back online servers... Will change review back to thumbs down if needed.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Just hopped on Bluesky and already loving this community! We're super excited to share what we’re currently working on and chat with all of you. Our first game NeoDuel: Backpack Monsters is 40% off on Steam right now if you wanna check it out 👀
neutral · AI labelView post →Nope. The UI is atrocious, the narration is grating, there is pretty much no visual feedback for what the items are doing, it's overall a no. I actually liked the idea of all matches being offline, mind you, I just think this is incredibly unpolished in terms of preentation, UI and visibility, a lot of the information is just cropped outside of the screen, it's scary how bad it is.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Inventory management battler NeoDuel: Backpack Monsters gets new content - we have keys to give away https://www.gamingonlinux.com/2024/12/inventory-management-battler-neoduel-backpack-monsters-gets-new-content-we-have-keys-to-give-away/ #NeoDuel #IndieGame #Linux #PCGaming
neutral · AI labelView post →This review will hopefully change into positive with future updates, but the current experience offered is sadly negative. Also, I'm not an avid auto battler player so take this from a player with his almost first time playing the genre. The gameplay is complex enough, there are probably various builds that can get you the win as long as you can adapt to given relics and shop offers. However, the descriptions, the battle log, and everything else that should be helping you aim for an idea of…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →First of all this is an early acces title, a very early acces title. Not showing that on the store page is straight up false advertisement and should always be met with negative reviews. Secondly the game is completely broken; the menu keeps bugging. Sometimes you can see your own character and then the next hotfix you cant anymore. Fights resolve properly and then the next hotfix it doesnt anymore... ...the game is a lot of fun, but it is just so riddles with bugs and the hotfixes somehow…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A fun and engaging game that's perfect for passing the time! The diverse builds and wide variety of Cosmions with their unique evolutions keep things fresh and exciting. This game has incredible potential to become a standout in its genre.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →There is a reason a lot of rougelikes have you unlock stuff as you play. The introduction to the gameplay is serverely lacking to the point of being a little hostile.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Despite the negative reviews for this game, I went with my gut and decided to buy it. It takes a little time to get the hang of it, as the in-game tutorial isn't super helpful, but the devs have posted youtube videos explaining the game further. The negative reviews are from before the devs returned to the game and brought back online co-op. While it is not THE BEST game I have ever played, I still think it is pretty fun and I am enjoying it a lot. Especially since it is a game that is very…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It's really addictive and the art is gorgeous. I like how the monsters are designed and it's fun to gather a team of elemantal monsters, i feel like a pokemon gym leader doing that lol. but there are downsides too, there are obvious bugs and ui problems that need fixing and the game needs to get balanced more. nature and fire builds are kicking my butt a lot.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →An interesting wrinkle on the "inventory management" and "auto-battler" genres. not really a "creature collector" other than that your backpack items are elemental monsters. This is the type of game I would much rather spend a few bucks on than play a FTP game with toxic monetization edits: So I played this game a lot more, so obviously I continued to really like it, but I do have a couple of additions that I think are mostly negative. They don't change that I overall like the game, or that…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Don't believe the bad reviews! The devs are back, the live servers are up and the game is updating again! The game is great, give it a try!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Update: despite the fact the game is online again I cannot trust this team to uphold their promises anymore. Buy at your own risk. They removed online PVP after it being a selling point. What a scam.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game has excellent potential, complexity, enhancements to the genre and gameplay, but it is also also burdened by many small negative things. I would still strongly suggest this game to genre veterans who are willing to learn a more complex autobattle backpack game and struggle a bit. The devs have also added tutorials for new players. I really like the element system, and how there are advanced elements. Each element also has multiple ways to play it, especially water. Beyond just…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Also if you're lucky you can add Pedro to you backpack, and maybe not just one! Why could you care of winning or losing when you have Pedros? 🦝 This game is approved by @kerolink.bsky.social 🤡😉 (Kerolink model by @/CharmanDrigo & Croc Pedro's by #Neoduel press kit Silly edit by me)
neutral · AI labelView post →For all of you streamers and #indie game focused journalists, don't hesitate to DM me for a review code of the Neoduel Backpack Monsters. You can't go wrong with a "Very Positive" rating 😉
neutral · AI labelView post →In the meantime, do wishlist the game to be alerted when Neoduel: Backpack Monsters goes on sale store.steampowered.com/app/2693940/...
neutral · AI labelView post →This week we have a #Steam key #giveaway for #indiegame NEODUEL: Backpack Monsters! 📢 Secret code and extra key for the game during my #Twitch stream on Friday at 7:30 pm BST! 😉 twitch.tv/the_games_de... All info below! 👇
neutral · AI labelView post →im so fucked im so fucked im sO FUCKED--- This is an addiction and I will literally never recover Thanks to @dearlyyu.bsky.social and @augidraws.bsky.social for the raids!! Love ya both!! We raided @TheMamaPotat who's playing some NeoDuel: Backpack Monsters! www.twitch.tv/themamapotat
neutral · AI labelView post →sorry it just doesn't feel good to play, the idea is good though just needs polishing, during the battles i wanna be seeing more animation of what everything is doing etc. idk i might come back in a year or 2.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A worse battle back battle clone with more focus in fusion and scrolling through an insuffarable codexwith which is not clearly categorized, and doesn't have any search options or filters
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I am not used to autobattlers, so at first it was difficult for me to learn the game but it is very fun to try to make the best board and i am enjoying myself, very worth the price
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Amazing game for people who like autobattlers, inventory management games and monster tamer/fighter theme! Definetly give it a try!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →i play playtest “NEODUEL: Backpack Monsters” is an absolute gem in the world of strategy games! This PvP inventory auto-battler combines the thrill of monster training with strategic backpack management, creating a unique and engaging experience. The game’s mechanics are both intuitive and deep, allowing for endless experimentation with different Cosmion combinations and item setups. The graphics are vibrant, and the gameplay is smooth, making each duel exciting and rewarding. Whether you’re a…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A great game halfway there. It's backpack battle but themed with Creature collecting. It is really fun and well balanced. However, it is shallow, there's not much content to be had. No rotations. No updates in sight. No modifiers to change up the gameplay.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Missed the Steam Autumn Sales? Well you're in for a treat, as Neoduel: Backpack Monster is part of the Weeklong Sales, with a 30% discount. Grab the full game and all updates included for less than 10$: store.steampowered.com/news/app/269...
neutral · AI labelView post →Super addictive, 10/10
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Async battle is pretty useful. It is fun to combine cosmions with each others to see what will happen. I enjoyed the combination possibilities with the rng market. Fun to play
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game is one of the few addictions that is legal and harmless.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →this is the best purchase i've ever made
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I am not familiar with autobattler games, but Neoduel is captivating! Cosmions are adorable and it is very fun to learn how they work together. The strategy and puzzle aspect of the game makes it perfect. Totally recommend. Well done!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I was a playtester and had more than 200 hours just in the testing phase. The game is still as entertaining as it was in the beginning. I definitely recommend it. This is a synthesis of the puzzle of inventory management and the chillness of auto-battling.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I entered Neoduel with low expectations, as I am not a fan of the Auto Battlers genre. However, I am hooked as the mechanics are fun, matches are quick. For me, Neoduel is the perfect game to play on my second monitor while I am watching or working. Design and art wise, it's pretty good! Sounds are also chill and suitable for the game. For the price, I would recommend it.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →played a bunch of matches during the demo and it rocks! i'm not really into auto-battlers as they're usually complicated, time consuming and the actual battles have very little action. this game is not that different, but the slow-paced and simpler (but still deep) mechanics, plus the lil critters you collect and organise and evolve, feels therapeutic in a way and helps me relax and unwind (especially when i'm blessed by the RNG). there are still a lot to improve QOL-wise but the change they…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I'm enjoyjng this! Using creatures (Cosmions) instead of weapons makes this game more engaging to me than other backpack games. Since the demos I've seen nice QoL improvements and I've maanged to win with Cosmions of all types. I LOVE the new ice types and how to combine and obtain them, and it makes me look forward for updates discussed in the roadmap.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The game art is charming, and I appreciate the variety in character icons and board equippables. I assume the matchmaking is asynchronous, but there was always players available to battle against as well, and it does seem to have an okay challenge mode, dubbed single player, to practice making builds. But the game is very laggy and seems to be unresponsive at times. The actual effects and nuances of buff, debuffs, and unique skills are also not clearly illustrated, despite having a chart to…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I loved the game and was extremely happy about getting on the leaderboards. The board and element combination was really fun to pull off. However, lack of variety made me stop playing because once I've tried a build, I didn't want to do it again. It was just plainly getting boring at some point. I also don't know how they will be able to add anything more without charging a DLC or skins. I wouldn't purchase those either. However, the game is extremely fun for the first 20 hours.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →https://youtu.be/stsBe2wYVTg Without an anchoring IP or theme all the combinations of items require a lot of play time to learn without much joy along the way.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →NEODUEL: Backpack Monsters is a clever and highly distinctive strategy title that blends creature collection, auto-battler combat, and spatial inventory management into a single, tightly interwoven experience. Developed by dicehit in collaboration with Rogue Duck Interactive and published by Rogue Duck Interactive, the game builds its identity around the deceptively simple idea that how you pack your backpack is just as important as which monsters you collect. Rather than relying on reflexes or…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Neoduel Backpack Monsters is in offer! Is a good game to have quick matches and chill. You don't need to farm or complete a long campain ... You just play, build yoour backpack, try to win and if you lose you can just try again! For more info check official sites #NeoDuel
positive · AI labelView post →Won this game from Kurix's giveaway. I must say, just watching someone play this on stream doesn't justify how enjoyable the game is. As a regular TFT player, this game gives a bit of a similar vibe gameplay-wise but with "alchemy"-type twist where you can combine your monsters called Cosmions. There are enough Cosmions with varying types and elements as well as augments to construct many decent builds during the game. I didn't even play or watch a tutorial since it's actually easy to learn…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
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